If you have an acne and are looking for an over the counter acne solution that can be used daily home then blue light therapy is probably one of the options you have looked at. But, do blue light therapy lamps work? Research seems to say it does. In 2000 independent research by the Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine at Hammersmith Hospital in London determined that 15 minutes a day of light therapy provided an effective method to cure mild to moderate acne. In October of 2002 the American Academy of Dermatology published that “Light gets at the core of what causes acne eruptions: P. acnes, the bacterial responsible for causing acne inflammation, pumps out tiny molecules called porphyrins. When those porphyrin are exposed to certain wavelengths of light, they produce free radicals that kill the bacteria. Without P. acnes around to cause inflammation, acne clears up.” Also the FDA has approved light therapy for use on mild to moderate acne. Blue light has been used in dermatology clinics for over 20 years to treat acne, but used to be expensive to have these session. Led technology has brought the cost and size of these lamps down significantly making them affordable for general home acne treatment.
Is Light Therapy Safe?
Yes light therapy is safe, both blue light and red light therapy. Whilst UV light is normally regarded as damaging to the skin, these type of therapy lamps operate in the safe UV spectrum of between 415nm and 660nm. Whilst being harmless to the skin UV light in these ranges still have the beneficial effects of killing acne bacteria with the blue light at 415nm UV range and removing scars, fine lines and wrinkles with red light in the 660nm UV range.
How Do Blue Light Therapy Acne Lamps Work?
The lamps emit blue light in the 415nm UV spectrum. UV light within this range is harmless to the skin but has been proved to target and kill the P.acnes bacteria that causes acne inflammation. With no bacteria to cause inflammation the acne clears and it also helps to cure existing blemishes and prevent further outbreaks. Combined blue and red light provides the benefit of not only curing the acne but also removing marks, blemishes and acne scarring.
What should I look for when purchasing a Blue Light Therapy Acne Lamp?
It depends on how you want to use it. There are hand-held acne lamps and table top and anglepoise type stand lamps. If you want it to be portable then on of the hand battery powered devices would suit best. If you just intend on using at your home then your can choose to have either a mains powered device or hand-held device.
If you just have mild to moderate acne and no marks or scarring then a blue light lamp is suitable. If there are marks and scarring you want to reduce or remove then either a combined blue/red device or a blue lamp and a red lamp would be needed.